Policy

An Age Concern England and Refugee Council Joint Programme

‘Older refugees have been invisible for too long’

This statement, made in 1999 by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Representative, Sadao Ogata, is still relevant in Britain today.

Working in partnership with the Refugee Council, Age Concern England is implementing a two-year programme supported by the Lloyds TSB Foundation, also involving Age Concern London and the Association of Greater London Older Women (AGLOW). The Older Refugees Programme aims to promote greater involvement of refugee elders through listening to their voices and raising awareness of their experiences, needs and capabilities.

The programme has developed five areas of activity:

• a review of existing literature and research on older refugees
• a survey of Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) and other organisations, including local Age Concerns, working with older refugees and asylum-seekers
• a report on individual interviews conducted with 20 older refugees on their experiences of integration, barriers and service provision
• Three regional ‘listening events’ with older refugees, the results of which have been brought together in two reports
• a national conference to be held in January 2008

The project has focused on London, the West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humberside and has identified and involved refugee community organisations and other BME community and voluntary groups. Nearly 200 older refugees participated directly in the listening events, involving 25 refugee community organisations focusing on themes such as health, housing, information, advice, education and training, among others.

It is hoped that one of the outcomes of the Older Refugees Programme will be to identify opportunities for local partnership working between Refugee Community Organisations and other BME community and voluntary organisations, in meeting the needs and aspirations of older refugees.

We would love to hear from any organisations or individuals who are already working directly with Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) and/or would like to find out more about the Older Refugees Programme.

For further details please contact:
Claire Ball
Tel: 020 8765 7718
Email: Claire Ball
 

The following FREE reports are available by emailing the Research & Development Unit:

Older Refugees Listening Event London
Report of the London event held in November 2006

Older Refugees Listening Events West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber
Report of the two events held in April and July 2007

Older Refugees Survey
Report of a survey conducted with community organisations and refugee community organisations from London, West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber (December 2006)

 

Contact us

Claire Ball
Tel: 020 8765 7718
Email: Claire Ball